The Butler weekly times., 1887-12-28

The monitors. gave Information of the
accident
'Mr. Baird at once detailed Ave men
10 go back with me. and accompaniest
me himself. A horse hitched TO a
small truck was TO bring Us boards and
timber. while the men carried wha,
rope they could for lowering them
selves from the top of the cliff to the
hume- As the supply of water in the
reservoir would not last many dayS it
was necessary TO speedily repair the
damage
when we arrived at the break Mr..
Baird and one man set off with me TO
the lake. TO close the gate. leaving the
other four to sling the ropes and make
a small platform to work on in mid
air. A great quantity of water had
already escaped. and we hurried on
until we reached the dam and gate.
The gate was a rather complicated
affair of Mr.. Baird's invention. and l
found. on turning the handle. that
something wedged under it allowed it
to close only half way. We were in a
hurry. but none of US wished to Jump
down into the current. at the risk of
being washed away.
'.As my canoe was near by. in the
bushes. resolved to try again a plan
which had more than once already
resorted to when alone. Getting it
from its hiding-place. took the stout.
haIf-inch. hemp rope that was tied to
it, and hitched the other end to tree
near by. thus making fast the canoe
in the current directly below the gate.
Taking an axe l then lowered myself
between the cross-pieces into it. and
from this position at once discovered
what was the matter; adrift-stick had
got wedged in The grooves. Two or
three blows sufficed to break it. What
a careless move my next one was!
Instead of handing the axe to Mr.:
Baird. or to the workman. l gave it a
toss. intending it to land on the
ground beyond the fume; but it hit
something that changed its course,
and fell back; the blade struck square
on the rope that held the canoe, and
cut it in two.
Before could speak. the current
had possession of the craft and as /
was standing up the cross-piece below
! struck me on the back-or rather !
struck the cross .piece-and knocked
| me down in the bottom of the skiH. !
was not quite deprived of my senses by
the blow. Stunned though was. the
terrible truth of what might await me
flashed across me. Not over three
| miles below me was the broken place
in the fume, and. hurried on by the
rapid current. what was to hinder me
from being dashed in pieces on the
rocks three hundred feet belowp
Il think my feelings were somewhat
like those of drowning man. Twas
conscious of every thing. could feel
my canoe rubbing against the sides Of
the fume and see the cross-pieces
speeding backward above me. as ]
rushed along under them. The sky
was blue, and here and there caught
glimpses of trees which leaned over
the fume.
The water swished and foamed as
it hurried me on. Thoughts Of my
past life, too vivid to be spoken.
flashed on my brain like q panorama.
l could not sit up. and the smallness
of the canoe made it impossible fol-
me to move sideways, forward. OF
backward. did not see how deliver.
ance possibly could come; vas help
less!
From the gate to the upper end ol
she precipice, where the fume makes
sudden turn, and Is built extrs
strong to resist the force of the water,
the distance is nearly tw0 miles. bu
it seemed to me scarcely two seconds
before the side thrust of the canoe told
me that was hanging over the edg'
of the rocks. OF course it was Longer
time than that. but minutes and hour
are seconds when one is bordering OF
eternity.
The downward pitch there is moi
so great but the volume OF water in th'
flume increases The canoe rose almos
to the cross-pieces rs it rushed alon,
| UeUcalu tIeiil. 1uc SPcOu WIS -A'5o
ly diminished. but knew was still
going rapidly. too rapidly. feared. t
, hope for deliverance. Yet l now en-
!, deavored to check the momentum b
pressing against the Shiny sides of tn
flume with mv hands
PROF citing nails tore nv palm
. dreadfullv. / was deperate. however
and persisted. not thinking it possibl
TO grasp a cross-piece above me, an
retain my hold.
"A few moments spent in thes
fruitless. painful efforts passed. then
, dull roar broke on my ears. causin
, the sweat to start from every pore
, my body! l. seemed. too. that N
! speed increased. With my hand
bleeding. l made desperate effort
praSp n crnes-niece hr,t instantly rf